


The Blind Bandit

by Shipper101



Series: Fire Empire AU [2]
Category: Avatar: The Last Airbender
Genre: Alternate Universe - The Fire Nation Won, F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-01-14
Updated: 2020-01-14
Packaged: 2021-02-27 03:19:02
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,023
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22260160
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Shipper101/pseuds/Shipper101
Summary: With the Royal Family reunited in the Capital City, an earth region heiress arrives to claim her reward.
Relationships: Toph Beifong & Iroh, Toph Beifong & Zuko
Series: Fire Empire AU [2]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1602337
Comments: 1
Kudos: 35





	The Blind Bandit

The city was immense; the walls of the volcanic caldera seemed to stretch up to the sky itself, yet their base seemed to disappear into a massive morass of streets and houses. It had nothing on the immense majesty of Ba Sing Se, but the city here, at the heart of the empire, felt entirely different. The wealth of the nation seemed evident on every building, while the roads themselves were beautifully laid out. The air was fresh and clean, avoiding the hateful stink of the Impenetrable City, and the avenues were wide and lined with beautifully maintained trees and elegant statues. Toph could feel the air moving through her hair. She could feel the mass of mankind around her. Beyond the tight circle of her guards, the teeming throngs of humanity moved around their daily lives.

Nevertheless, she couldn't stay thinking about this for too long; as pretty as the avenue was, there was a simple reason for this. No vehicles were permitted within the city. No ostrich horse shit polluting the roadways. Or, for that matter, shit of any kind. She could feel the plumbing below the city, see it through her feet. It was a tangled, twisted mess of metal and stone, but, if you pushed deeper, looked harder, they started to form an elegant spider's web, stretching across the city with beautiful, symmetrical simplicity. 

This was the truth of the Capital City. It's awesome beauty was spectacular in its own right, but it took a step beyond. The city possessed only a single rival in all of the world in Ba Sing Se, but whereas Ba Sing Se was a nest of humanity, thrown up fast with earthbending and devastated by war and reconstruction, this city was crafted by hand. Every block, every cobble, every statue, every pipe; shaped, carved and placed by human hand for human use. And no other city could rival the city for its order and cleanliness. All the earthbenders, all the heritage, all the age in the world, and the Fire Nation proved itself to be superior nonetheless. 

Small wonder they ruled the world.

The avenue chose that moment to widen, its ends tapering out to enter an immense circular plaza. And before her, she could sense her destination. One of the major drawbacks of the lack of ostrich horses and carriages was the sheer length of time it took to walk everywhere. But, now, after almost a day of walking, they had arrived. While it had mattered little to Toph, her guards had all commented loudly in relief upon arrival that, at the very least, they would struggle to get lost. The Imperial Palace towered over everything in the city, with only the Tower of Agni standing above it. Toph could feel the long, thin causeway connecting the two.

Taking a deep breath, she strode forwards, her guards catching up in mere moments with their accursed long legs, and marched towards the immense red and gold gates of the palace.

\---

The Imperial Throne was deeply, deeply uncomfortable. Iroh's joy at the return of his niece, and at the redemption of his nephew, was a heady elixir, but a full day of petitions and complaints (and continuing to patch over the catastrophic damage Ozai's foolish letter had unleashed) was enough to sap at even his immense patience. Zuko alone was managing to calm his fraying nerves, but Iroh could tell that the absence of his nephews beloved was causing him no small amount of pain.

While he accepted the loss, it stung; Azula's wounds were healing, and her body was recovering from her torment, but the progress was slow, and Azula was... well, her mind was far from healthy. Zuko and Katara alone could approach her without being assaulted, and thus Katara was forced into service. 

The Herald approached the dais. Bowing to his emperor, he stood up straight, and faced the assembled (extremely bored looking) court.

"Lady Toph Beifong, of the Gaoling Department."

Iroh felt rather than saw Zuko straighten beside him. Ah, this would be the hidden aid. Iroh was of two minds with regards to the girl.

On the one hand, as Zuko told it, this Toph was the sole reason for his niece's safe return. And for that, Iroh couldn't be happier. On the other, by doing so, she had betrayed her parents, and left them at the mercy of the Fire Empire. And that Iroh found far less endearing.

As Lady Beifong strode confidently to the centre of the court, Iroh observed her. She strode with assurance and poise, yet also with a brash confidence. He smirked. Everything about her screamed earthbender. 

"Lady Beifong, welcome to the Imperial Court. I must thank you for your aid in the rescue of my niece. How may I be of assistance?"

Lady Beifong bowed low, and then raised her head. Her pale, sightless eyes directed straight at Iroh, she replied.

"My Emperor, I thank you for your graciousness in welcoming me to your magnificent city. I am here to request a boon of your son, as payment for my aid. As I'm sure you are aware, the information leading to your niece was retrieved from my parents, who participated in a conspiracy with remnants of the old Earth Kingdom in an attempt to expel the Empire. While I am pleased for the defeat of their scheme, they are precious to me. I would request.... I would beg, for an arraignment of their sentence. I would see them live. This, is what I ask of you, my Emperor."

The court was silent. 

Then Iroh laughed.

"My, my, Lady Beifong. Quite a request indeed. And yet, for the gift you have granted to me with my Niece's return, I would give you this and more. It is done."

Rising from the throne, Iroh clasped his hands together. 

The rest of the court rose, and, with polished, perfected bows, filed from the room, until at last only Toph, Iroh and Zuko remained.

"Shall we sit for some Tea, Lady Beifong. Zuko has told me all about you, and I believe we have much to discuss."


End file.
